First Timer / Common Questions

Check out the most common scrap metal questions we have come from our customers.

What do I need to bring to sell scrap at Rockaway Recycling?

All customers must be at least 17 years of age and are required to have valid state-issued ID. Customers will be required to have their state issued ID scanned and sign declaring they are authorized to sell their material. Ferrous material cannot be bought out of cars and must come in a larger vehicle (truck, van or SUV). All vehicles must bear a valid license plate. No walk-ins without a vehicle are accepted.

What's the difference between non-ferrous and ferrous metals?

The difference between non-ferrous and ferrous metals is that they are different kinds of metals. Non-ferrous metals are non-magnetic and will not stick to a magnet. Ferrous metals are magnetic and will stick to a magnet. Some example of non-ferrous metals are copper, aluminum, and brass.

Some examples of ferrous metals are steel and iron. They are more common metals. Generally speaking, non-ferrous metals are worth more money when you are scrapping them. But to understand further how you can recognize what is non-ferrous and ferrous metals, see our Magnet Test Page for the magnet test explanation.

Rockaway Recycling imposes a 500-pound minimum on ferrous purchases. Because the cost of operation, labor, and transportation factors into our ferrous materials, we will only pay out for loads of 500lbs. or more of ferrous materials like steel and iron. If you have less than 500 pounds, we will be happy to recycle the materials for you but will not pay you for them.

Do you take Aluminum Cans?

We do not buy cans or tabs off them at this time. If you are looking to recycle your aluminum and/or steel food cans, we suggest getting in contact with your local municipality and asking them where they may have a drop off location for your to recycle your aluminum cans.

Will you pick up scrap at my house?

Rockaway Recycling only provides pick up services for commercial and industrial accounts for scrap metal pickups in New Jersey and the Tri-State area. Unfortunately, we do not offer residential pickup services for your home.

We only collect thousands of pounds of scrap metal at a time, so if you have items like a dishwasher, refrigerator, or other smaller items, we suggest you bring them here. If you do not have a way of transporting them to our facility, we suggest putting a classified ad online or in the newspaper for someone to pick your scrap metal up.

Does Rockaway Recycling buy Appliances? Water Heaters? Furnaces?

Yes we do. We accept dishwashers, dryers, and washer machines at a fixed price. We also do purchase water heaters and furnaces or radiators. Typically appliances will be bought at a light iron scrap price.

We require a 500-pound minimum on ferrous materials, so for these types of materials and appliances, any loads under 500 pounds total will not be paid for but will be just recycled. If you are over 500-pound minimum, you will be paid for the light iron price for your materials.

Remember for refrigerators and any other appliances that have freon inside, we will not accept them. You must get the freon removed by a licensed HVAC professional. If you attempt to remove the freon yourself and release those gases into the environment, you could be fined up to $37,500 by the EPA if you are caught for releasing those chemicals.

Does Rockaway Recycling take cars? What car parts can be scrapped?

No, we do not buy cars or vehicles for scrap, you can use this online tool & quote system to get your car picked up locally though. We do however buy certain parts that can be recycled from cars.

Rockaway Recycling also buys scrap car parts for scrap value, not to be resold. Some items we do buy are; aluminum rims, catalytic converters, aluminum hoods and doors, brass or aluminum radiators, alternators and starters.

If you are selling aluminum rims for scrap, we suggest trying to remove the tires from them. You will receive a significantly higher scrap price if you can remove the rubber. Also if you can remove the lead wheel weights, we can accept them as a scrap item too.

We also buy catalytic converters from all vehicles. We have a detailed price list for catalytic converters we buy for scrap. While the prices vary based on when we see the catalytic converter in person, we suggest just cutting the end pipes off so we can see inside.

What is the difference between Brass and Copper?

Brass is a yellow color, whereas Copper is a red color. If you cannot tell the difference, take a file to scratch the material and see the true color of the metal. When you scratch the surface a reddish color will identify the metal as a copper. If it is more yellow in color, it will most likely be brass.

Brass is an alloy metal, which means it is a mixture of more than one element. It has copper and zinc mix together. The zinc makes the copper harder and stronger and more durable. Depending on the ratio of copper and zinc, it will be a redder or more yellow color. Because copper is a red color, the more yellow in color the brass is, means it has more zinc (silver in color) in it.

What is the difference between #1, #2, and #3 Copper?

When Rockaway Recycling classify different grades of copper it is based on the cleanliness of the material. If you have #1 copper wire or tubing, it will be free of brass fittings, insulation, paint, rubber, solder, and any other materials. It will be a clean copper price.

For #2 copper tubing, usually these pieces of copper pipe will have small brass fittings, solder, paint, oil, or rubber attached to the copper. Because of those other materials the copper is worth less money because it is more difficult to process the metals during the recycling process.

If you come across roofing copper or gutters from a home that have been used, there is often times a large quantity of tar and adhesive attached to the copper. To help attach the material to homes or buildings, these contaminants cause the price to be lower for #3 roofing copper.

Does Rockaway Recycling buy old pools?

Yes, make sure to use the magnet test to see if it is steel or aluminum before you bring the pool in. Usually the pools are made from aluminum and will be paid for as a dirty aluminum price due to the paint and/or steel attachments. It is worth your time to remove any steel nails, screws, or rails that you can.

Take your magnet and if it sticks, then it is a piece of steel attached to the aluminum. We suggest cleaning up the aluminum from any steel as much as possible to maximize your profits on scrap. Separate the steel and bring it along to Rockaway Recycling, we can recycle it separately from any aluminum you may have.

Also if you have any electric motors from the pool system or pump, you can scrap those with us as well. Be sure to unplug and cut any electricity before taking those items apart to prevent electrocution. Also if you have any copper tubing or electric copper wire from your pool system, we can scrap all of those items as well.

Does Rockaway Recycling accept old fences?

Yes, we accept old fences. Similar to pools, make sure to use the magnet test to see if you have aluminum, steel, or iron fences. Again, if you have under 500lbs. of iron or steel, we will recycle the metal for you, but will not pay for it.

If you have an aluminum fence, we suggest trying to remove the steel nails or screws that may be attached. You will get a higher aluminum price if you are able to remove them. If the fence is painted or has a type of cover on it, it will be a lower aluminum price because it is not clean aluminum.

How can I make more money scrapping?

The best tip we always say is to separate your metals. Don’t forget to view the material list to see what materials to separate before coming to Rockaway Recycling. The pictures can help you determine the majority of the metals you may come across when looking to scrap your materials. If you have questions, you can always contact us with pictures and we can help out.

We also suggest ALWAYS having a magnet handy. When you are separating your metals, be sure to separate the ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Steel and iron are worth significantly less, than items like copper, aluminum, and brass.

When you have e-scrap items like computers and laptops, we suggest always removing wires and as much plastic as you can. If you are advanced enough, we suggest removing items like the hard drive, motherboard, and CPU chips from computers too.

What are scrap metals worth?

There are various prices we pay at Rockaway Recycling for scrap metals. Check out our Price Page to see the latest update scrap prices we post. As soon as prices are changing at our scale, we adjust them on our website so our customers know what to expect when they bring they metals in. We are constantly updating our prices online, so you can check the date and time stamp when looking on our website to see the most recent time we’ve updated prices.

Remember though management reserves the right to change prices at any time according to current market conditions. This means that you may check prices in the morning and come later that day or even the next day, and they can be different.

When you are separating your e-scrap be sure to keep the different parts separately as we generally pay much different prices for most items. You can check all of the prices for the e-scrap we accept on our website.

We do not accept with computer mice, keyboards, printers, or fax machines but you can contact your local town center for more information.

Is Rockaway Recycling ever open late?

Every Thursday we are open until 6pm and don’t forget to call us if you need us to come in early or stay late. We stay open late on Thursday to allow those that may be out all day on job sites and want to bring their scrap metal in.

Otherwise we promptly close our doors at 4:30pm on Monday-Wednesday and Friday. And close our doors on Saturday at 12pm (noon). If you are running close to closing time, feel free to call us ahead and we will let you know if we can stick around for you.

Where is Rockaway Recycling located?

We are located at 311 West Main Street in Rockaway, NJ 07866. We are about 0.25 miles away from Route 46 and about 4 minutes off of Route 80. We have all the comprehensive and detailed directions on our directions and hours page.

If you are using a smartphone for directions, you can type in “Rockaway Recycling” in your map app or Google maps and our location should come right up. If you have trouble finding our facility when you are on your way, feel free to call us and we will do our best to help you with the directions.

How do I know that I am getting a fair deal?

One of the best things about our scrap yard is the transparency that we have with our customers and their material. When you come to our scrap yard you will be walked step by step through the process and you will be able to see not only your material being weighed, but you will also see the prices for what you are getting before you sell the material.

When you are viewing your receipt you should see a detailed list of materials and weights on there. There will be words like tare, net, and gross that will show you any deductions we apply for container, water, or dirt weight. If you feel there has been a mistake on your receipt feel free to ask one of our scale managers to walk you through it. We are happy to resolve any questions you may have. We have always prided ourselves on being up front and giving our customers a Fair Weight, Fair Price atmosphere.

How do I know if scrap metal prices are high or low?

Everyone wants to have updated prices and wants to know what is going on with the scrap metal markets. We want to be able to help you out and that is why we have dozens of prices that are getting updated on our website daily. For the best idea of where the market is and if it is “high” or “low”, we encourage you to check out our blog for the latest updates. Also we do send out monthly newsletters with market information and where the prices are to keep you in the know.

Do you accept items with freon inside?

Rockaway Recycling will not accept items with freon inside. Freon is a refrigerant chemical often found in refrigerators and air conditioners to keep things cool. The gas is dangerous for the environment and should be recycled by a licensed HVAC contractor. We do not release freon at our facility, so if you are planning on bringing an item with freon inside, you will have to have it properly recycled before bringing your scrap here.

We do not accept items that have a high quantity of plastic, like printers, keyboards, mice, or fax machines. If you have questions, please contact us with pictures and your information and we will be happy to let you know if we accept the items in question.

Can you destroy my computer and provide proof?

Yes, we can destroy your hard drive from your laptop or desktop computer. We can also provide you with a certificate of destruction. It is especially helpful for offices cleaning out computers, we can provide the proof your data and information has been securely destroyed.

Do you pay cash for scrap metal?

Yes, Rockaway Recycling pays cash for your scrap metal. We have an ATM that will scan your receipt and will pay you on the spot of your selling your metal to us. If you request that you or your business needs a check instead, we are more than happy to accommodate you with one. Just be sure to ask your scale manager for a check and provide us with the company or name the check should be made out to.

Do you buy cast iron bathtubs or stoves?

Yes we do buy them, but like we mentioned above we have a 500-pound minimum on cast iron and other ferrous metals. As long as your tub or stove weighs that or the other cast iron you have totals up to over our minimum, we will pay for it. If the cast iron tub or stove does not meet the weight requirement, we will be able to at least recycle the material properly.

We do scrap lead batteries such as the ones that are inside your vehicle and also forklift batteries. If you aren’t sure about the types of batteries that you have, check the labels. Lead-acid batteries will have a “PB” symbol on them, which is the periodic element symbol for lead. If you aren’t sure you can send us pictures of them through our contact page.